Bond

The fundamental theory for the mini-car was derived from a model constructed by Lawrence "Lawrie" Bond an engineer from Preston. Following the war he transferred his business to Longridge where he constructed a string of little, advanced racing vehicles, which raced using a modest number of succeeding. In the part of 1948, he exposed the prototype of what was called a brand new mini-car for the press.

Called a "short radius runabout, with the aim of buying and calls in a 20 30-mile radius", the prototype was exhibited scaling a 25% gradient with driver and passenger aboard. At that period of the report, it was said that production was "anticipated to begin in 3 months' time".

Sharp's Commercials was a firm contracted by the Ministry of Supply to reconstruct military vehicles. Grey refused, but stated that rather, Sharp's could fabricate the automobile for Bond as well as both entered into an agreement on this particular foundation. Bond completed some additional development work to the Mini-car, however once mass-production was underway, left the job and offered the plan and rights to Sharp's.

Where its threewheel arrangement designed it qualified for a reduced price of lower vehicle excise duty, purchase tax and reduced cost insurance than similar fourwheel automobiles, the car proved popular in the United Kingdom marketplace. The shape, low weight and deficiency of the reverse gear also meant it may be pushed on the motor bike permit.

Even though all Mini-cars were started in the drivers seat these were fitted for emergency use.

Although later versions included chassis members of metal, the early autos utilised and image stressed skin aluminium bodywork. The Mini-car was between the very first British cars to utilize fibreglass body panels.

Although keeping much of Lawrie Bonds first notion of the easy, lightweight, efficient automobile, the Mini-car was slowly produced by Sharp's through a number of different incarnations. Nearly all autos were convertibles, although later, hardtop versions were provided, as well as van and estate variants. Although the differentiation between the two was generally among mechanical depth instead of luxurious, mini-cars were generally available both in normal or deluxe form. The vehicles were driven initially by a singlecylinder twostroke Villiers engine of 122 cc. In December 1949 this is upgraded to a 197 cc device. The motor was further upgraded first, in 1958 into a singlecylinder 247 cc then into a 247 cc dual - cylinder Villiers 4T. These aircooled engines were created largely as bike models and hence had no reverse gear. A process of reversing the automobile was provided on later versions using a reversible Dynastart component. The Dynastart unit, which doubled as both alternator and starter motor on those versions included a built-in reversing solenoid change. After using this change and stopping the motor, the engine the Dynastart and hence, would rotate in the other way.

In November 1962, it had been lowered by another 20% to 25% - the same speed as that put on threewheelers. This quick change meant that in the point of sale, some threewheelers became more costly than fourwheeled automobiles such as the Mini. No reduction was approaching, sales of Minicars decreased rapidly from this stage as well as the closing Minicar was created in 1966. At the conclusion of creation 24,482 was created.